Left: Sergent pilot Normon Prince in
the rear cockpit of a Voisin light bomber with his observer/gunner
while assigned to V.B II3, Fall of 1915.

Above and below: A Caudron G-IV of the type
flown by Bill Thaw at Esc. C. 42 in late 1915-early 1916. The
Commander of C. 42 was Capt. Thenault, who became Commander of
the Lafayette N.124.

Left: Frazier Curtis, a friend of Norman
Prince, helped promote the idea of an all-American unit. He entered aviation
training in March 1915, but due to injuries from accidents was released
from service. He then put his efforts toward air service recruitment of
Ambulance personnel.

Early in the war, many Americans showed a sincere interest in joining
the French Air Service. The popularity of the air service among French
Soldiers coupled with a suspected spying incident by an American who deserted
the air service early in the war, created some resistance by the French
initially.

Requests for entry were being granted on an individual
basis, usually with the help of a French official. Americans began flying
as both pilots and observers within French squadrons with no less than
7 future Lafayette Escadrille members serving in these capacities.

Many were assigned to bombing units flying Voisin pusher
style biplanes. Bert Hall flew with a Nieuport squadron. William Thaw
was assigned to a Caudron squadron, Escadrille C.42 commanded by Capitaine
Georges Thenault, whom eventually became commander of the Lafayette Escadrille.

James J. Bach served with William Thaw in the
Foreign Legion before transferring to the air service in December
1914. He was assigned to Escadrille MS. 38 (Morane-Saulnier) in August
1915 but on September23rd, was taken prisoner when landing a spy behind
enemy lines. Jimmie Bach was the first American taken prisoner in
World War I and remained a POW until the end of the war.

Ambulance Service Replaced
by American Field Service
Volunteer ambulance services provided American men and women who sought
to aid the Allies cause an opportunity to serve.

Two major ambulance units were formed, the Norton-Harjes Ambulance Corps
and the larger American Ambulance Hospital Field Service. The latter was
usually known as the American Field Service.

The American Field Service was organized by Dr. Edmund Gros, an American
physician who had a prominent medical practice in Paris. Dr. Gros would
later be instrumental in the establishing of the Lafayette Escadrille.

The ambulance units saw extensive service in many battles and particularly
at the Marne in September 1914, Verdun in February 1916, and at Caporetto
in October 1917.

Drivers who left ambulance duty to join the Lafayette Escadrille were
Clyde Balsley, Willis Havilland, Thomas Hewitt, Henry Jones, Walter Lovell,
James McConnell and Robert Rockwell.

Captaine Georges Thenault of the French Air Service, the commanding officer
of Squadron N-124, the first American volunteer squadron which would become
the Lafayette Escadrille.

Founding of the Lafayette
Escadrille
No single individual can be credited with creating the Lafayette Escadrille,
but rather it was the result of the combined efforts of some idealistic
young American men, some prominent Americans living in France, and a few
farsighted French officials.

Two Americans who envisioned a squadron made up of American flyers were
Norman Prince and William Thaw. Upon the outbreak of the War, both volunteered
for service with the French Foreign Legion; and since both were licensed
pilots in America, they transferred to Frances Service Aeronautique
in 1915.

During 1915, Prince, Thaw and some prominent Americans, particularly
Dr. Edmund Gros and Jarousse deSilac of the French ministry of foreign
affairs joined forces to promote the formation of an American volunteer
squadron.

The French saw an American group as an excellent way to generate support
in America for the Allied cause.

In April 1916, a separate American squadron designated as N (Nieuport)
124 was established. Joining Prince and Thaw were five other Americans;
Victor Chapman, Elliot Cowdin, Weston (Bert) Hall, James McConnell, and
Kiffin Rockwell.

The designation N-124 was soon changed to Escadrille Americain, but the
Germans objected to this name since America was not officially in the
War. In response to this protest, the name was changed to Lafayette Escadrille
in December 1916.

The original Lafayette Escadrille had 38 American pilots under the French
commander, Captaine George Thenault. Lieutenant Alfred deLaage de Meux
served as executive officer.

Norman Prince from Massachusetts, was one of the Americans who was instrumental
in establishing the Escadrille.

William Thaw of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia,
one of the founders of the Squadron and served as its American
Commander.

Uniforms and Insignias
Upon completion of his flight training, the student pilot was awarded
the badges of a pilot brevet, the wings and star, and his corporals
stripes.

The style and color of his uniform was a matter of the pilots
individual personal preferences.

As the illustration shows, the colors of tunics varied from sky
blue to navy blue and black, and pants were usually riding breeches,
a carry over from the cavalry days. Head gear was either the traditional
French military kepi or forage overseas cap. High boots
or oxfords with puttees were usual footwear.

The air service uniforms carried on the older military tradition
of colorful uniforms.

Note the Lafayette Escadrilles famous lion cub mascot, Whiskey,
in the illustration and in the photo of Thaw.

Profile of a Squadron: Who Were They?
The Lafayette Escadrille, The Lafayette Squadron,
was made up of only 38 American Volunteers. Approximately 170
other Americans served in various other French squadrons, and
as a group, these men were designated the Lafayette Flying Corps.
Of the original 38 aviators:

28 had served in France in some capacity

Seven of the 28 had served in the French Air Service

23 were from the Eastern states, nine were from New York and
two from the West

Average age was 26 - ages ranged from 20 to 40 years

Eleven were sons of millionaires

Thirty held college degrees or had enrolled in a higher educational
institution. Harvard had nine alumni in the squadron